With less than a month before the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chargers sit in an interesting spot at No. 22 overall.
But ESPN Front Office Insider Mike Tannenbaum believes the slot is one that sits right in the sweet spot to get an impact player on either side of the ball.
Tannenbaum, who held a conference call this week to look ahead to the draft, said the Bolts could go a number of different directions by the time they're on the clock.
In his most recent mock draft, the former general manager had the team picking Michigan tight end Colston Loveland.
Even with the Bolts already making a move at that position this offseason, Tannenbaum couldn't help but pair the Wolverine tight end with Jim Harbaugh, Loveland's former college head coach.
"They just signed [Tyler] Conklin," Tannenbaum said on Wednesday. "It's just fun to pair Colston Loveland with Jim Harbaugh, that was an easy one to type."
Loveland is a popular pick in Chargers Mock Drafts as seven of 13 recent projections had the Bolts picking the 6-foot-6 tight end.
Tannenbaum's biggest reasoning for the pick? He would fit in and be a dynamic weapon for Justin Herbert and the offense from Day 1.
Tannenbaum wrote in his mock draft:
This is an ideal scenario for coach Jim Harbaugh. He could be reunited with his former tight end from his Michigan days and also fill a hole in the offense. L.A. signed Tyler Conklin and has Will Dissly, but Loveland would jump them both on the depth chart to provide quarterback Justin Herbert with another top-tier option beyond Ladd McConkey. Loveland is a great route runner for a 6-6 player, and he'd be a plug-and-play day one starter for the Chargers. He had 56 catches for 582 yards in 2024. (Loveland's run blocking isn't great, but I could see it improving given his work ethic.)
If the Chargers don't opt to go with a tight end in Round 1, Tannenbaum opined another offensive weapon could be the direction the team could go early in the draft.
He believes a wide receiver could be another route at No. 22 depending on how the board falls, even if he thinks bringing back Mike Williams could change things in 2025.
"They could get another receiver," Tannenbaum said. "Mike Williams to me is an X-factor. Can he come back to what he was?"
Williams experienced a down year in 2024 while coming back from injury but accumulated 309 receptions for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns during his time in the powder blue.
He has an especially great connection with Herbert, who has thrown him 18 of those touchdown passes during their time together.
Options will be open when the Bolts are on the clock not only if they want to add another offensive weapon, but also if they elect to go on the defensive side of the ball.
Tannenbaum could see the Chargers going with someone on the defensive front seven after some of the changes in free agency.
Not only that, but the way he believes the draft will shake out makes the Chargers pick a prime spot to get a defensive playmaker along the line that can compliment the veterans up front.
"Then probably another young front seven player," Tannenbaum said. "Khalil Mack is closer to the end, they moved on from [Joey] Bosa. To me, that's sort of another glaring need.
"The way this draft is with the Mike Greens and the James Pearces of the world, if they do decide to go the front seven pressure player, I do think that need really matches up where they're picking with the depth of this draft," he added.
Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and his staff were able to have a stellar first draft last season and get multiple Year 1 contributions from players such as Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart.
And Tannenbaum, the former GM of the Jets, believes that is the formula to a good draft for any team.
"Generally speaking, three to four meaningful contributors," Tannenbaum said.
"If you add three or four meaningful contributing players and you do that over three, four, five years, you have a cost-controlled roster that has sustained success," Tannenbaum later added. "I know we get caught up on when you pick and what they should be, but I think that's a general rule of thumb."
